Using Google Analytics - Library 2.0?

[Bill Drew]

I am working on using Google Analytics. Even though it is behind the scenes, I think of it as a Library 2.0 style tool. I do not have easy access to our webserver logs and Google Analytics looks like a relativeley easy to use alternative. I have used it on my own websites and blogs for a few months. What I am now doing is setting it up by embedding code in the links. The link includes this event:

onclick="javascript:urchinTracker('/topics/AgBAIN');"

The link allows me to analyze how our users are reaching our databases and other resources. Are they using our subject or topic guides or are they using our alphabetical list of databases? I hope to answer those questions so I can better develop our website.

I would like to start a discussion on using Google Analytics. Anyone interested?

[Thomas Ellegaard Langholz]

I'm also using Analytics for a library-blog I'm writing for. I only use the main page
where I can see the basic statistics - it's good enough for me and to be honest
I don't understand the rest of the statistics. I would like to know more, though.

[Jeff Scott]

Google Analytics is AWESOME! There are so many different kinds of webtrackers out there, but the depth of this product is amazing, and its FREE! I use it on the library's blog, my personal blog, and my website. You can see what people are looking at, for how long, where they went to next, where they are coming from (anywhere around the world) and you can see the type of technology level they have (high speed, dial up, firefox, Internet Explorer).

I think it is so sophisticated because of Google Adwords and Googlel wants to make sure you are not committing click fraud.

You can put the script for the page wherever you want and see what the hits are.

Can I gush any more about it, WOW!

More here: http://analytics.blogspot.com/

[Dave Pattern]

I've been using it on my blog and wiki for awhile now, and more recently on our OPAC. Much more fun than trawling thru web server logs!

I like the idea of using the "onclick" links to track usage -- might have to try that.

[Bill Drew]

How do you put it into your web opac?

[Jeff Scott]

Just find the webpage that the OPAC is hosted on and insert the javascript. We use Polaris so it is a bit tricky to find the locations. Once cracked, I was able to enter the code into the main page, and then on all the pages (non-OPAC that it linked to) I can probably insert it into the results page and find searches that way, but I have Polaris search results I can use as well as collection development reports. Very awesome though. The funny thing is that on all of our Public Access Computers the first page people see is our main page http://cglibrary.org then they click out of it right away so our bounce rate is like 85%. You can certainly see database usage or track pages on your library webpage. the actually catalog results I am looking into how to insert it. Hope that helps.

[Dave Pattern]

The OPAC uses XSL templates and it was fairly easy to drop the GA code into the footer template.

[Bill Drew]

Yurns out it was quite easy for me to do. All pages of our webopac use the same file at the bottom of every page for a copyright/logo so I put the code there. Now I just wait and see what we get.

[Jon D. Solomon]

This is an excellent idea. I'm going to try this right now. Wouldn't have thought about it had it not been for the forum! :-)

[Michael Biltz]

We just started using Google Analytics. The wide spectrum of tracking data is amazing. We are now just letting it run for a few weeks to see what kind of traffic our web site is getting. After that, we will adjust the web site to meet patron demand.

[Bill Drew]

I just added Google Analytics to my wiki at http://billdrew.pbwiki.com. I put the code in the sidebar that is included in every page.

[Thor Dekov Buur]

I am going to a Google Analytics seminar next week (if there are enough participents). It seems interesting. I'll give you an update afterwards.

[Bill Drew]

Is there any way to use the urchinTracker in a form based pulldown menu? I use such amenu as a QuickLinks function on all of our webpages. You can see it at http://library.morrisville.edu. It would be great to track people going directly to resources from that menu.